Game Week 19 Predictions: Arsenal to beat Villa at the Emirates

Premier League preview: Arsenal vs Aston Villa at Emirates – title implications, Villa's hot streak, injuries/suspensions; verdict BTTS.

Arsenal's title ambition will be underlined by whatever they do in this fixture. Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rodgers would both hope to inspire their teams, who will edge this one? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

 Arsenal vs Aston Villa

Emirates Stadium

9:15pm

Arsenal must beat Aston Villa on Tuesday night for lots of reasons. The title race is getting to a point where the gap widens between the pretenders and the contenders; Arsenal cannot afford to slip up.

Aston Villa is the form team of Europe. Thirteen straight wins and you wonder if they should be worried about the xG table, which sees them in 16th on the log. Unai Emery’s team continues to outperform their expected goals, but is it sustainable?

Aston Villa beat Arsenal earlier in December, a result that put them firmly in the title race, but you have a sense of worry for them. Their depth isn’t the best in the league, and the return of European football in January could also stretch them to an extent.

For now, Villa will enjoy where they are, and they will hope that they still remain in the mix when the real run-in begins. For the hosts, they will hope their home form helps them out here, but this will be their biggest test yet.

Arsenal has won each of their last five games, including a penalty shootout win over Crystal Palace in the League Cup. There’s no time to train; all these players do is to play, rest for a day or two and play again. This is where quality depth would be needed.

Both sides would manage this game in a way that would frustrate the other side. We should expect a cagey affair early on at least, until the deadlock is broken. Are we about to see another game being decided by set pieces, or would Arsenal rely on own goals again?

Aston Villa will be without a host of players; Evan Guessand is away at AFCON, Pau Torres, Ross Barkley and Tyron Mings are unavailable due to different degrees of injuries, while Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash are suspended for card accumulations.

Arsenal will be without Christian Mosquera, who isn’t expected back until the new year, and Ben White, who is carrying a hamstring problem. Jurrien Timber and Ricardo Calafiori both missed the weekend win over Brighton; both will be assessed on Tuesday.

Expect Bukayo Saka to take laws into his own hands again. Viktor Gyokeres continues to raise questions about his suitability for the Gunners, but he is expected to start. Villa will go for this one; Morgan Rodgers is a player to watch, as well as Ollie Watkins, whose brace nailed Chelsea at the weekend.

Verdict: Both teams to score.